This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:21:06
In the fall of 1987, a mapmaker at a Boy Scout ranch in eastern Missouri discovered a human skull, initially mistaking it for a turtle shell. Fearing repercussions, he waited three months before disclosing the find to his supervisor, Teena Orling. When additional bones and tattered clothing were uncovered, forensic investigators in Jefferson City began the process of identifying the victim. Initial clues included jeans with the "Texwood" logo, suggesting the victim might have ties to Asia, which was later confirmed when the bones were identified as belonging to a young Asian female.
The investigation proceeded with a forensic anthropologist reconstructing the victim’s face, leading to the identification of Bun Chee Nyhuis, who had been reported missing. Her husband, Richard Nyhuis, claimed she had returned to Thailand, but forensic evidence contradicted his story. Eventually, Richard confessed to killing Bun Chee, though his accounts varied. Forensic analysis revealed that Bun Chee had suffered blunt force trauma and was likely suffocated.
Further incriminating details emerged, including Richard burying her body in a shallow grave at the Boy Scout ranch while wearing Texwood jeans, and keeping her body in a freezer for three months. Ultimately, Richard was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years. The video underscores the vital contributions of forensic science and collaboration among experts in solving the case.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, a mapmaker surveying a Boy Scout ranch in eastern Missouri in the fall of 1987 discovers what initially seems like a turtle shell but turns out to be a human skull. He refrains from reporting the finding immediately due to fear, only disclosing it to his supervisor Teena Orling three months later. Utilizing a detailed map and the mapmaker’s directions, Teena and a scout ranger locate the skull in a clearing, where they also uncover additional bones, hair strands, and tattered clothing, including jeans and a flowered shirt. The physical evidence is sent to the forensic crime lab in Jefferson City, Missouri, where it aids in determining the victim’s height, beginning the process of identification.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the investigation focuses on uncovering details about a deceased individual found in a shallow grave. Key points include the estimation of the victim’s height at about 5 feet based on the inside seam length of found jeans, and the discovery of calcium carbonate, indicating the use of lime possibly to control decomposition odor. Hair analysis revealed that the victim was not of African-American origin, suggesting she might be a Caucasian female.
Despite sending this information to the National Crime Center, no match was found, leaving the victim unidentified and implying potential murder. However, a critical piece of evidence, a small metal button with the logo “Texwood,” was found with the remains. This logo was unfamiliar to both local investigators and the FBI, adding a layer of mystery to the case and redirecting the investigation significantly.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, investigators are trying to identify a victim by calling contacts across the United States, Canada, and Mexico without success. A breakthrough comes when US Customs Special Agent Timothy Quinn discovers that “Texwood” jeans are made exclusively for the Asian market, suggesting the victim had either traveled to Asia or was Asian. The bones are then sent to anthropologists who confirm the victim is a young Asian female, likely in her mid-20s, who had given birth to at least two children. Despite these findings, determining her identity remains a challenge essential to advancing the investigation.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, authorities are trying to identify a female victim based on skeletal remains. The remains indicate she was an Asian female, about 5 feet tall, and had given birth to at least two children. To aid in identification, an anthropologist performs a facial reconstruction of the skull. This involves creating a latex mold of the skull, making a plaster cast from the mold, and adding rubber pegs to represent tissue thickness at various facial points. Clay is then used to flesh out the face, and details such as eyes, nose, lips, and a black wig are added to reflect her presumed ethnicity.
Photos of the reconstructed face are distributed to media outlets, and within three days, Wilaiporn Cox and her husband Karmen recognize the bust as resembling their friend, 33-year-old Bun Chee Nyhuis, who had been missing for the past five years.
00:12:00
In this segment, the video discusses the investigation into the disappearance of Bun Chee, who was said to have returned to Thailand by her husband, Richard Nyhuis. Richard claimed she wanted to visit family and sought a divorce, and neighbors corroborated that she had talked about leaving for Thailand. However, the discovery of a skull in a shallow grave led police to investigate further. Forensic scientists used a technique called skull photograph superimposition to compare the skull to photos of missing women. The analysis, conducted by Dr. Michael Charney, revealed that the skull matched Bun Chee Nyhuis, and not another missing woman from Georgia, confirming the remains were Bun Chee’s.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on the investigation surrounding the disappearance of Bun Chee. After establishing a positive scientific identification, police turned their attention to her husband, Richard Nyhuis, who was suspected of knowing more about her disappearance. It was revealed that the couple had a volatile relationship and that Richard, a Boy Scout leader, often camped at the site where Bun Chee’s grave was found. Confronted with forensic evidence, Richard confessed but gave conflicting accounts, initially claiming Bun Chee hit her head accidentally during a scuffle, but then admitted to suffocating her. Forensic pathologists examined the skull and determined the wound was from a blunt trauma, likely caused by a tool like a hammer rather than an accident. Prosecutors believe Richard and Bun Chee argued about moving houses, leading to Richard striking her and eventually suffocating her while she was still alive. He then wrapped her body in plastic and kept it in a freezer for three months.
00:18:00
In this part of the video, it is revealed that Richard Nyhuis fabricated a story about driving his wife, Bun Chee Nyhuis, to the St. Louis airport for a flight to Thailand. When the ground thawed in the spring, he transported Bun Chee’s body to a secluded area in the woods at a Boy Scout ranch, two hours from his home. Nyhuis made several mistakes during the burial: the grave was only two feet deep, allowing animals to uncover the bones, and Bun Chee was buried in Texwood jeans, which hinted at their Asian origin.
Despite Nyhuis’s expectations that the body would never be discovered or identified, key forensic elements such as the Texwood button, pelvic bone, Mongoloid skull, forensic sculpture, and photographic superimposition led to Bun Chee’s identification. During the trial, it was noted that Nyhuis may have placed his wife in a freezer while she was still alive, and he was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole for 50 years. The video highlights the collaborative effort of various scientific and forensic experts in solving the case, emphasizing the significance of each piece of evidence.